A recent phone call between former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has reignited tensions around the war in Ukraine and raised concerns among European allies over the future of Western support for Kyiv. According to sources familiar with the exchange, Trump and Putin discussed potential avenues for ending the war, with Trump reportedly suggesting that he could broker a deal to end hostilities swiftly if re-elected in November.
While details of the conversation remain largely undisclosed, Russian state media portrayed the call as “constructive,” with unnamed Kremlin officials claiming that Trump signalled openness to negotiations that would involve recognition of Russia’s control over parts of eastern Ukraine. Trump’s spokesperson has neither confirmed nor denied such claims, stating only that the former president “believes strongly in peace through strength and in ending senseless conflicts.”
The Ukrainian government has not officially commented on the reported call, though senior officials privately expressed concern over what they view as Trump’s transactional view of the conflict. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that any compromise on territorial sovereignty would embolden future aggression not just in Ukraine but across Europe.
European leaders responded cautiously but firmly. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Berlin’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, while French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against “any premature ceasefire that rewards the aggressor.” In London, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, “The unity of the West has been Ukraine’s greatest shield. Undermining that unity would serve only the Kremlin.”
The Biden administration distanced itself from the Trump–Putin exchange, reiterating its commitment to supporting Ukraine “for as long as it takes.” Officials at the State Department emphasised that private diplomacy by former presidents does not reflect current US foreign policy and warned of the risks of legitimising Russia’s claims through informal backchannels.
Critics of Trump argue that his openness to unilateral negotiations reflects a broader trend of deference to authoritarian leaders, while his supporters see his willingness to speak with Putin as a necessary move toward ending a costly and protracted war. The call has also renewed debate within the Republican Party, where a growing faction favours scaling back military aid to Ukraine.
The impact of the Trump–Putin conversation may reverberate through upcoming NATO meetings and influence both American and European electoral campaigns. With battlefield conditions in Ukraine remaining volatile and Western military aid arriving more slowly amid political divisions, the prospect of a shift in US leadership carries significant implications for the trajectory of the war.
As Russia’s invasion enters its third year, the international community faces a growing dilemma: how to support Ukraine’s resistance without deepening geopolitical divides. The Trump–Putin call may have added a new layer of complexity to an already perilous global equation.
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